North Carolina · Duck · 2026–27 Edition
North Carolina Duck Season 2026–27: Zone Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons by zone
| Season / Segment | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| September Teal | East of U.S. 17 only | Sep 10 – Sep 19 |
| Falconry (ducks, mergansers & coots) | Statewide | Oct 1 – Oct 10 |
| Regular Season · Segment 1 | Inland Duck Zone | Oct 15 – Oct 17 |
| Regular Season · Segment 1 | Coastal Duck Zone | Oct 23 – Oct 24 |
| Regular Season · Segment 2 | Inland Duck Zone | Nov 7 – Nov 28 |
| Regular Season · Segment 2 | Coastal Duck Zone | Nov 7 – Nov 28 |
| Youth Waterfowl Day | Statewide | Dec 5 – Dec 5 |
| Veterans/Military Waterfowl Day | Statewide | Dec 5 – Dec 5 |
| Regular Season · Segment 3 | Inland Duck Zone | Dec 18 – Jan 30 |
| Regular Season · Segment 3 | Coastal Duck Zone | Dec 17 – Jan 30 |
| Youth Waterfowl Day | Statewide | Feb 6 – Feb 6 |
| Veterans/Military Waterfowl Day | Statewide | Feb 6 – Feb 6 |
| Falconry (ducks, mergansers & coots) | Statewide | Feb 1 – Feb 6 |
02 — Bag limits
| September Teal — Daily | 6, East of U.S. 17 only |
|---|---|
| Duck — Daily (both zones) | 6 total, including no more than 4 total sea ducks (max 3 scoters, 3 eiders with only 1 hen, or 3 long-tailed ducks), 4 mallards (max 2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintails, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 1 mottled duck and 1 fulvous whistling duck. Scaup: 1 daily before Jan. 8, 2 from Jan. 8 on. Harlequin ducks closed entirely |
| Duck — Possession (both zones) | Three times the daily bag |
| Black duck & mottled duck | Closed until Nov. 21 in both zones, regardless of when the general season opens |
| Merganser — Daily | 5, no more than 2 hooded mergansers |
| Coot — Daily | 15 |
| Youth & Veterans/Military Waterfowl Days | Same species limits as the regular season |
| Falconry (ducks, mergansers & coots) | 3 daily / 9 possession, singly or in the aggregate |
| Every week of the season | No hunting of migratory game birds by any method on Sundays |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 10, 2026) 06:27 — 19:31
Rule: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset for all migratory game birds (per NCWRC proclamation), including the September Teal season — North Carolina does not carve out a sunrise-only exception for teal the way some other states do. No Sunday hunting of migratory game birds by any method, all season.. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local North Carolina sun times for any other date.
04 — License, HIP & Duck Stamp
Duck hunters in North Carolina need three things (in addition to any state-specific waterfowl stamp): a North Carolina hunting license, HIP registration (Harvest Information Program) and a Federal Duck Stamp — required for hunters 16+ under federal law.
North Carolina hunting license cost & waterfowl stamp →
Where to hunt public land in North Carolina — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does duck season open in North Carolina?
The 2026–27 opener is September 10, 2026. Waterfowl seasons run under federal flyway frameworks with state-set zone splits — see the zone table above.
When does duck season end in North Carolina?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is February 6, 2027. Late-zone and second-segment closes vary — see the zone table.
Do I need a Federal Duck Stamp?
Yes. Every waterfowl hunter 16 or older must carry a signed current-year Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp). It is available at U.S. Post Offices, many license retailers, most National Wildlife Refuges, and online from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
How many ducks can you shoot in North Carolina per day?
2026–27 bag limits: September Teal — Daily — 6, East of U.S. 17 only. Duck — Daily (both zones) — 6 total, including no more than 4 total sea ducks (max 3 scoters, 3 eiders with only 1 hen, or 3 long-tailed ducks), 4 mallards (max 2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintails, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 1 mottled duck and 1 fulvous whistling duck. Scaup: 1 daily before Jan. 8, 2 from Jan. 8 on. Harlequin ducks closed entirely. Duck — Possession (both zones) — Three times the daily bag. Black duck & mottled duck — Closed until Nov. 21 in both zones, regardless of when the general season opens. Merganser — Daily — 5, no more than 2 hooded mergansers. Coot — Daily — 15. Youth & Veterans/Military Waterfowl Days — Same species limits as the regular season. Falconry (ducks, mergansers & coots) — 3 daily / 9 possession, singly or in the aggregate. Every week of the season — No hunting of migratory game birds by any method on Sundays. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting ducks in North Carolina?
On opening day (September 10, 2026) legal light runs 06:27 to 19:31. The rule is: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset for all migratory game birds (per NCWRC proclamation), including the September Teal season — North Carolina does not carve out a sunrise-only exception for teal the way some other states do. No Sunday hunting of migratory game birds by any method, all season. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local North Carolina sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt ducks on my own land in North Carolina without a license?
A North Carolina landholder — owner, or a lessee who mainly cultivates the land — plus their spouse and dependents under 18 living with them, may hunt, trap, and fish it without a license. Elk, alligator, and the bear stamp aren't included, and deer, bear, or turkey still need a free License-Exempt Big Game Harvest Report Card.
Verified · North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission · Last verified 2026-08-16
Publisher's note. From the NCWRC Executive Director's signed Proclamation for the 2026-2027 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons (N.C.G.S. § 113-291.2(f) and § 113-291.1(f)), dated April 21, 2026. Two zones — Inland and Coastal — split by the same three-segment structure with slightly different dates; bag limits are identical in both. Black duck and mottled duck season stays closed until Nov. 21 in both zones even though the general season opens earlier. Sea duck limits (scoters, eiders, long-tailed ducks) count toward the general 6-duck daily limit, not on top of it. Goose, brant and tundra swan seasons run in the same proclamation but are out of scope for this page. No hunting of migratory game birds by any method on Sundays, statewide, all season. Re-verified 2026-08-16 — REAL ERROR FOUND AND FIXED: a September Teal season (Sept. 10-19, East of U.S. 17 only, 6-bird daily limit) was missing entirely from methods, which also left the file's 'opener' a month late (Oct. 1 instead of the correct Sept. 10). Everything else — both zones' three segments, both Youth and Veterans/Military Waterfowl Days (Dec. 5 & Feb. 6, statewide, identical dates for both), and the falconry windows — was already correct.